Ferrari went into qualifying with Leclerc the only option for pole as an engine change penalty sent Sainz to the back of the grid. Thus, those of the Cavallino resorted to a team tactic in which the man from Madrid ended up being decisive.
After achieving the best time in Q2, Carlos Sainz went out on the track in Q3 only to slipstream his teammate, who in the first tried to beat Max Verstappen by eight thousandths and in the second, also with the help of the Spaniard, put three tenths.
The Monegasque, who had seen his rival take a big step forward in FP3 on Saturday morning, did not hesitate to let out a “Great Carlos!” when they informed him by radio that he had added his seventh pole of the course.
Then, before the media, he was surprised by the pace of his car against the Red Bulls: “After Q1, I think I was very surprised by the pace we had.”
“I mean, also in Q2 we were very strong. So we somehow managed to turn qualifying around and it was a surprise, but a positive surprise.”
Leclerc is not sure that he could not have been first without Sainz’s slipstream, but he appreciated the help: “It was a great lap,” he explained. “I have suffered all weekend to make a perfect lap and I have managed to do it, but I have to say that I have also had the help of Carlos, and that has been an incredible team effort.”
“Without Carlos it would have been a lot closer. So yeah, thank you very much to Carlos. And I hope he can join us in the fight for the win tomorrow.”
With the penalty, Carlos Sainz will start 19th, just ahead of Kevin Magnussen who also has a penalty for a Ferrari engine and who did not even go out on track in Q3.
Before the DAZN F1 microphones, Leclerc confirmed what we had already seen, that they had not rehearsed the slipstream at any time during the weekend: “We had not rehearsed it in practice, but Carlos has executed it perfectly”.
“In turns 8 and 9 the first time I had a bit of dirty air and I had to adapt my driving, and in the second I was able to take turns 8 and 9 better and then Carlos slipped by, it was perfect.”
Regarding the race, in which he will start with the two Red Bulls close together (Sergio Pérez will start third), he is not confident: “Our pace is good, it feels good. But it is difficult to understand what the Red Bull boys did yesterday because there was a lot of difference in terms of lap time. So let’s see how it goes tomorrow.”
The photos of Charles Leclerc on Saturday of the French GP
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Alastair Staley / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Alastair Staley / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Alastair Staley / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Alastair Staley / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Alastair Staley / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Alastair Staley / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Alastair Staley / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Alastair Staley / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
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